Samaritan Snare by: Robert McCullough and directed by: Les Landau

 

“Samaritan Snare” is written by: Robert McCullough and is directed by: Les Landau.  It was produced under production code 143, was the 17^th episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 2, the 43^rd episode overall, and was broadcast on May 15, 1989.

 

There have definitely been episodes where the B-plot is more interesting and well structured than the A-plot, but “Samaritan Snare” is one where the two plots are night and day.  The B-plot is another examining an aspect of Jean-Luc Picard as a character, this time examining a medical disability that he has had.  Much of the plot’s buildup is that Picard needs a surgical procedure and refuses to let Dr. Pulaski to perform it on the Enterprise, so he insists on having it done off-ship on a Starbase where Wesley is also being sent for Starfleet Academy entrance exams.  The big reveal is that he actually has an artificial heart that is faulty.  Patrick Stewart is fascinating because he plays this as incredibly nervous and showing it by largely lashing out because he doesn’t want to go into surgery (with surgical gowns in red for some weird reason of worldbuilding because this is a series written by writers and not doctors).  It’s this very humanizing aspect of the character and is surprisingly nice because Robert McCullough’s script is genuinely great in the way it portrays Picard’s disability.  It’s something he generally hides because this is a future where it doesn’t matter, but also because he is insecure at being seen as a poor leader because of it.  The episode ends with Pulaski having to intervene in the surgery, there are complications, and promising to keep Picard’s secret, it’s still a secret from the crew and a point of insecurity with Picard at the end.  The episode is also not painting Picard as noble for keeping the secret, it is framed as insecure, the crew would understand.  Pulaski will keep it secret and Wesley will keep it secret, much of the B-plot is just dialogue between Picard and Wesley in the shuttlecraft.  It’s fantastic dialogue, both Picard and Wesley understand each other and Stewart really gets to guide Wil Wheaton through the scene.  It means Wheaton gets to give one of his stronger performances because while director Les Landau is fairly good (in the A-plot he can actually block scenes and set up interesting camera angles), Stewart is acting more as the guiding element of the scene.  It’s very much building up the idea of a father/son relationship between Picard and Wesley, Star Trek: The Next Generation very much wanting to hint that Picard is actually Wesley’s father but as far as I am aware never actually confirming it.

 

But that’s just the B-plot.  The A-plot is why “Samaritan Snare” is given its title.  Riker is in command of the Enterprise when the ship receives a mayday call from the Pakleds, a seemingly incompetent species of aliens on a ship that is adrift and the technology has broken down.  Geordi La Forge is sent over to help them fix their ship but the big twist is the Enterprise’s act of being a good Samaritan is that Geordi is captured and held hostage because they want weapons.  Riker has to work out a ruse to show force without killing the Pakleds and communicate with Geordi in essentially code to disable their weapons systems and get him transported back to the Enterprise.  The plot is honestly awful, it’s a plot that only develops because everyone ignores any warning signs and just forgets to act with any sense of intelligence.  The Pakleds are presented as incompetent, being directed and portrayed as stereotypes of people with intellectual disabilities in heavy makeup.  They’ve stolen every bit of technology and retrofitted it while being this open book to snare their victims, but McCullough tries to make it feel non-malicious which causes problems.  The text is playing with the idea of the contradictory outsiders that are coming to invade that despite being stupid they are a duplicitous threat.  It’s perhaps as anti-immigration a plot that Star Trek has actually done and feels accidentally fascist in places, especially with the fascist idea of the enemy that is both strong and weak at the same time.  That’s what the Pakleds are, it’s what they represent.  There’s even a moment early on that McCullough includes from Worf that feels like lampshading the fact that these themes are in play, Riker telling Worf that they do need to help either way because it doesn’t matter if it’s a trick.  That isn’t to say there isn’t anything in this A-plot that’s interesting or redeemable.  Jonathan Frakes and LeVar Burton are both fantastic as Riker and La Forge respectively, the script exemplifies how Riker and Picard are different as leaders the former being almost more cautious in places and more willing to use trickery.  Burton also is the only one actually acting off the Pakleds and he is a constant professional with just the worst material.  That and the supporting cast he’s playing off as said are playing into harmful, almost dehumanizing, stereotype.

 

Overall, “Samaritan Snare” is the definition of polarizing.  The B-plot is fantastic, it’s got some of the best material for Patrick Stewart and Wil Wheaton, adding interesting character work for Picard and reflecting on the insecurities and current societal stigmas around disability.  The A-plot which gives the episode its title and what is meant to be the main attraction is just awful.  It plays into stigma and stereotype around disability essentially unweaving the good work that the B-plot is doing.  4/10.